The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1887-02-05

Is not by them considered courteous Ia
use the weed in the presence of a host
or guest who is Guebre. In eyerS
household of the Guebres fire kindied
from the sacred flame at the new wear
is kept burning the entire year. That
Is the purpose they follow, but wheth-
er they always succeed in preventing
the fire from being extinguished Is
doubtful.
The Guebres have many peculiar
doctrines and customs. One of these
is the use of yellow in their garb; an.
other concerns the theory of immor.
tality. They maintain that there are
two principles, the good and the evil,
whlch they call Oromusdao and Ahri.
masdao. The. ancient Greeks corrupt.
ed these names to Ormusd and Ahriman,
These two principles, or influences
light for the mastery through the ages,
seeking to win possession of the soul
of man,
| When Guebre dies at Teheran, his
corpse Is taken to the lonely cemetery
live miles south of the CITY, situated Of,
a lone rocky eminence that oyerlooks
the vast plains quivering with mirage.
1t resembles white watch-tower, be-
ing built in the shape of a round hill
fort 1t is white, and has no apparent
way OF entrance. The walls are built
OF cargel, or mud smeared with plaster
that preserves it from the weather.
Winding slowly over the plain and up the
barren height, the procession of mourn.
ers, outcasts in land they once ruled,
bear the dead to his last resting-place.
A hole is made in the wall of the Gem.
eterY, through which the corpse is
taken to its grave.
Strange to say. the grave is not dug
in the earth. The surface of the
| ground within this unroofed inclosure
is divided by raised lines of brick into
numerous oblong cells of uniform size,
much like the parterres of garden.
The corpse is laid in one of these
dressed, and left there exposed to the
elements. Vultures and buzzards
hover over the cemetery in flocks; they
know full well what is taking place in
the desolate spot. Then the mourners
| retire to little distance up the hill
side to watch the birds of prey swoop
down to devour the dead. They have
reason for thus kcenly observing, for
they believe that the destiny of the de-
parted soul is revealed by the acts of
the birds. If they devour the right
eye tlrst, the soul is in Heaven; but il
the left eye is first attacked, then the
mourners go away sorrOwful, for sad
Is the doom OF their departed friend.
But the Guebres have other and more
cheerful customs than this. Their new
year is called the No ROOF, or New
Day. 1t comes at the time when the
sun crosses the line in March. Their
traditions state that this festival was
ordained by their great legendary King
Shah Iemsheed Although most of the
Persians are now Mohammedans, vet
they all accept the period for the COM
mencement of the newyear established
i'll their country long ages before the
camel-driver of the desert sent his
armies to force them TO his creed: and |
thus, at the No ROOF, Guebres and Mus |
sulmen alike rejoice, The latter pre-
tend that they celebrate the occasion
because it is the birth anniversary of
their Prophet, but this is a mere fiimsy
excuse. concocted in order to show |
their disdain for the Guebres. But in
a hundred ways the Persians show that
IN their celebration of this annual fes-
tlyal they are following the traditions
OF their fire-worshiping ancestors.
Nowhere is the new year celebrated
with more mysticism and pomp and
rejoicing than in Persia. For
weeks before it arrives the people begin
their preparations for the occasion,
Every one seeks to raise money to pur.
chase the new suit of clothes he is
expected to wear at the time, and the
and provisions for the
ten days OF feasting, as during that
period the shops are mostly closed.
so important is it to be properly pre-
pared for the No ROOF, that articles of
price that are family heirlooms are
often sacrificed in order to provide the
needed money. When the new moon
u that month appears, devout Persians
ook to the east, then, covering the
ace with their hands, they are slowly
armed until, on Withdrawing the hands,
he cleaning sickle of the new moon is
zen directly in front. Perhaps our
about discovering the new
noon over the right shoulder is suo-
rested by this Persian custom. The
we before No ROOF is also the occasion
or curious ceremony, evidently sug-
rested by the mystical meaning the
attach TO fire and light. The
ommon people leap over heaps OF
turning brushwood laid IN rows. It is
'ossible the heathenish custom OF
passing children through the fire
nay be form of this ceremony.
As the hour approaches for the sur
Q cross the line, the Shah assemblies in
he great audience-chamber of the
alace. with the high spiritual and
emporal dignitaries of the Kingdom.
1oney is distributed to all for good
lek on the commencement of the new
ear. At the moment the astrolopers
nnounce the No ROOF, the Shah
ravely exelaims, 'Mambarek bashed!''
MAY it be propitious to your A
acred song of rejoicing is then sung
mollah, or priest; after this eacI
ourtier, according to his rank, offers
is obeisanee to the Shah, and receives
ON the royal hand presents. q.
Z. benjamin, IN Touth's Companion.